Imran Khan’s nephew jailed for 14 days in May 9 case

Lahore – (Special Correspondent /Web Desk) – An anti-terrorism court in Lahore has sent Shahrez Khan, the nephew of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, to jail. He will remain there for 14 days under a judicial remand order. The case is connected to the attack on Jinnah House that happened during the riots on May 9, 2023.

Police in Lahore arrested Shahrez from his mother’s home on August 21. His brother, Shershah Khan, was also arrested the next day for similar reasons. Shershah was first held for questioning and then also sent to jail.

The police brought Shahrez to court after holding him for eight days. They asked the judge for permission to keep him for another 30 days for more questioning. However, his lawyer argued that he should be released completely.

The judge did not grant the police’s wish for more custody. Instead, he ordered that Shahrez be held in jail for the next two weeks. The judge also told the police to present their final charges by September 13.

In court, the prosecutor said a walking cane was found with Shahrez. He also stated that they needed to check his social media accounts as part of their investigation.

Shahrez’s lawyer strongly disagreed. He said no evidence was found on his client. He also called the arrest illegal and argued that the investigation was already finished.

The defense presented a key argument: Shahrez was not in Lahore on May 9. They showed the court signed statements and photos proving he was in Chitral with family and friends at that time.

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The lawyer claimed that Shahrez is only a suspect because he is Imran Khan’s nephew. He suggested the arrest was meant to silence his mother, Aleema Khan, who speaks publicly about her brother’s imprisonment.

International human rights groups are worried about these arrests. Amnesty International called the situation a “political witch-hunt.” Shahrez’s wife has shared photos online to support their claim that he was not in Lahore during the riots.

The government official for interior matters defended the arrests. He said they should not be dismissed as fake or politically motivated. The events of May 9 last year involved violent protests and attacks on military buildings after Imran Khan was arrested. Since then, the state has arrested many people connected to the PTI party.